Born in a suit?

[Tomasso]

I'm not a fan myself of brown shoes with blue or gray suits for example.

You would hate Italy.

 

[BanjoMerlin]

You would hate Italy.

The average American man (outside of NYC and Hollywood) doesn't pay much attention to the current fashions in Italy. If one wears brown shoes with a navy suit in most areas of the country it would be considered wrong.

OTH, brown shoes with blue jeans is fine.

 

[Dinerman]

The best way to look good and natural is to not overthink it and not worry about whether every detail is proper. A suit's no different than any other clothes. Find what you like, make sure it fits properly and have an eye for color and texture.

 

[Tomasso]

If one wears brown shoes with a navy suit in most areas of the country it would be considered wrong

lol

 

[Widebrim]

The average American man (outside of NYC and Hollywood) doesn't pay much attention to the current fashions in Italy. If one wears brown shoes with a navy suit in most areas of the country it would be considered wrong.

OTH, brown shoes with blue jeans is fine.

Even though I live close to the "Hollywood area," I tend to think that most people in the U.S. wouldn't even care if one wore brown shoes with a navy suit; style or fashion means that little to the average person...

 

[Widebrim]

Wear SILK ties! They don't have to be expensive but once you've worn silk you won't even consider putting one of those polyester nooses around your neck again.

True, BM, unless you collect and wear vintage ties; you'll likely then develop a taste for rayon, acetate, and blends, as many of us fanatics who post on the necktie threads have.

 

[vitanola]

Nope, no starch. I like a nice soft, floppy collar. No stiff starch for me; they just itch.

bk

Obviously you are not from Troy, NY.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Born in a suit...that's messy.:eusa_doh:


I think dark brown shoes are good with blue. Light brown not so...[huh]
I also agree with vintage 40s rayon ties. They are great. But I see...even more off-topic.


Yes, some guys do look better than others. Haha.

 

[Tango Yankee]

(Though honestly, I don't get the fingernails thing. I don't think that I have ever focussed on someone's finger nails.[huh] )

You may not, Baron, but the ladies often do. My wife (and a few others I dated over the years) told me that one of the things they noticed about me was that I take care of my hands and nails. I didn't get manicures, but I did keep my nails clean, trimmed, and smooth--no bitten nails, no torn nails, no dirt under the nails unless I was actually engaged in an activity that caused it.

In fact, it was a lesson that my wife later on passed on to her son as a teenager. He took care of his nails after that. (I wasn't there to teach him myself as she had said "no" the first time I asked her to marry me in the late '80s.)

And where did I learn that? From the book "The Sensuous Man" when I was in high school in the mid'70s! lol

Cheers,
Tom

 

[thunderw21]

BK is right about suit fit: you can put all the effort and planning in the world into a suit but without fit it'll still look wrong.

Also, I find that my best 'looks' are those that I rush. Too much planning can ruin a look; it's often the ones we throw on in the morning without much thought that are the best, most natural. Trying too hard shows that you tried too hard.

You don't need a list, you just need practice and some well fitting suits.

 

[Undertow]

If one wears brown shoes with a navy suit in most areas of the country it would be considered wrong. OTH, brown shoes with blue jeans is fine.

Any color goes with jeans. [huh]

Following pictures are thanks to Marc at the MANY '30s IMAGES: Suits & More !!! thread. And not to mention, Marc again at the MORE '30s IMAGES: Suits & More !!! thread.

Below, gray windowpane checked, blue sweater vest and teal shirt, brown shoes.

Below, sharp herringbone suit in gray with blue checked shirt and socks, brown shoes.

Below, navy double breasted, polka dot bow tie, brown cap toes.

Below, single breasted blue pinstripe, seeing a pattern?

And before any of you get ideas...

Below, blue pinstripe with black shoes and black hat. Yes, even black and blue are allowed to coordinate.

 

[JimWagner]

Well, knowing when and how to break the rules requires first knowing them.

 

[Yeps]

The average American man (outside of NYC and Hollywood) doesn't pay much attention to the current fashions in Italy. If one wears brown shoes with a navy suit in most areas of the country it would be considered wrong.

It is not really a current fashion, more of classic style, at least over there. I prefer brown shoes with gray or blue in general.

 

[VitaminG]

I have always defaulted to black shoes with a grey suit. But inspired by this thread, I'm rockin' the brown shoes with grey at the office today!

I'm diggin the look. Have received some nice feedback so far too.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

What "rule" is that? I hope you're not suggesting "no brown with blue/grey" is, or ever was, a "rule".

Well, knowing when and how to break the rules requires first knowing them.

 

[Edward]

What "rule" is that? I hope you're not suggesting "no brown with blue/grey" is, or ever was, a "rule".

Agreed; it seems to me that the notion of black being the only appropriate choice with blue is a much more modern thing. [huh]

 

[Richard Warren]

Mi dispiace ma there are indeed rules (rigidly enforced conventions) as to what should be worn with what, and when. If you fail to adhere to them while in the company of those who know them, you are likely to suffer for it.

There are places and times at which blue suits may be worn, at which only black shoes are appropriate. There are people who will consider you gauche if you ever wear brown shoes with a blue suit (although there are fewer of them now than there once were, and apparently few of them live in Italy). If you don't care, that's fine for you, unless one of those people happens to be your boss, a client or customer, a member of a club you hope to be invited join, or your prospective father-in-law.

 

[undertaker]

I read somewhere in a trade journal awhile back that men should not wear brown shoes at all because "the public does not trust men who wear brown shoes"[huh] . I would like to know where they got the information. Also they did not give any alternative. I wear a suit atleast 6 out of seven days, (except today I am wearing a black vest and jacket and striped morning trousers) and usally wear black shoes because it is easier. I only wear brown shoes with brown, tan , olive green, etc...., the colors I seldom wear to work anyway. I have been described as having been born in a suit and I think it is because that is how most people see me and for me it has become quite comfortable and rather convient. I have worn three piece suits so long now that I feel uncomfortable or underdressed in anything else, no matter what the temps are.
In the funeral business I see those who do not wear suits and it shows, I can't put my finger on the specific reasons but it just shows....

Regards,
J.S.

 

[Undertow]

Black shoes have always been seen as more formal than brown. For instance, patent leather and grosgrain pumps with white tie.

On the other hand, we're not discussing white-tie events, or for that matter evening dress events. Those two occassions do have strict rules. If we're simply discussing wearing suits, these "rules" don't necessarily apply.

And if a club won't accept you because you're wearing cordovan wingtips with your blue pinstripe, then you don't want to be in that club.

Anyway, that's their rule, not the rule.

 

[Picard1138]

Black goes with everything

I was always taught that black can go with anything, but brown takes some more coordination. A gray suit with nice brown shoes is perfectly fine in my book, but the tradition is that bankers and lawyers only wear black shoes to work. That might be where the blue suit/brown shoes faux pas came from. I'm not particularly fond of the blue suit myself, I do however enjoy a dark navy on occasion, and with a dark well-shined brown, or even a cordovan shoe with matching belt (and a less dressy tie) generally goes over very well.

Just my 2 cents worth.

-Max